Visible margin signal apparatus



H. C. BAKER VISIBLE MARGIN SIGNAL APPARATUS Filed Sept. 2, 1964 FFB! Sept. 6, 1966 BY l A TTORNEY United States Patent O 3,270,854 VISIBLE MARGIN SIGNAL APPARATUS Henry Cr Baker, R0. Box 102, Bradley, Maine Filed Sept. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 393,935 2 Claims. (Cl. 197-187) This invention is concerned with apparatus for providing a visible signal of the right margin when using a typewriter.

Conventional typewriters are equipped with an audible signal for indicating the end of a line being typed. This yarrangement is not adequate for la typist who cannot hear. Conspicuously absent from the typewriter market has been a typewriter which could be used eiciently by a deaf typist. The lack of a visible signal for the right margin has been a handicap which substantially prevents etiicient use of typewriters by persons who cannot hear.

It is an object of this invention t-o provide a typewriter right margin visible signal for typists who cannot hear or for those who do not desire to use an audible signal.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide visible margin signal apparatus with adjustable features permitting the apparatus to be attached simply to any conventional typewriter without alteration to the typewriter.

Another object of the present invention is to provide visible margin signal apparatus which can be used with any conventional typewriter without any interior connections or modifications to the typewriter.

In descri-bing the invention, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic diagram of apparatus embodying the invention,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of base means forming part of the present invention; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of switch support means forming part of the present invention.

The present invention is universal in that it can be `applied to any conventional typewriter. Normal application of the present invention requires no modification of the typewriter and, with inherent simplicity of operation, the invention can be used by vanyone having a rudimentary knowledge of a typewriter.

Referring to FIGURE l, typewriter 12 includes carriage 14 and carriage frame 15. Carriage 14 and frame 15 moves as one to the left and right in conventional operation. Spaces along a line of copy being typed are divided along typewriter copy scale 16 and usually include one hundred twenty spaces per line. Typewriter 12 rests on supports such as feet 18 and 20.

Apparatus of the present invention can be positioned relative to a typewriter merely by placing base bar 24 under the typewriter 12, for example, by placing support feet 18 and 20 in base bar sockets 19 and 21, as shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, one of the base bar sockets is adjustable longitudinally of base bar 24, eg. socket 21 can be moved along slot 22 and secured at a desired location with nut and bolt assembly 25. This permits adjustment of socket location for differing size typewriters.

A base scale 26, divided and numbered so as to correspond with the typewriter copy scale 16, is carried on base bar 24. The position of scale 26 can be adjusted longitudinally of the base bar 24 by scale adjustment nut and bolt assembly 28.

A switch support means 30 is secured to support base bar 24 by wing nut and bolt .assembly 32. This assembly permits the switch support means 30 to be positioned longitudinally of the support base bar 24 by movement along slot 34. An indication of the position of switch "ice support means 30 relative to scale 26 is provided by indicator 36.

Referring to FIGURES l and 3, switch support means 30 includes an adjustment arm 38 which supports switch 40 at its upper end. The position of arm 38 can be adjusted vertically by movement along slot 42; its horizontal position can be changed by pivoting arm 38 at wing nut and bolt assembly 44.

Switch 40 is electrically connected to an electric power source 50 and light 52 by electrical connectors 54 and 56. Power source 50 can be a battery for portable operation or an A.C. source. Electric connectors 54 and 56 permit positioning of light 52 as best suited for individual typists.

In operation base bar 24 can be placed beneath the typewriter 12 withA typewriter feet 18 and 22 resting on the base bar 24, or the base bar 24 can be bolted to typewriter 12, or held magnetically to the typewriter 12, or otherwise held in Xed positional relationship to typewriter 12 and carriage frame 15.

The zero indication on base copy scale 26 should then be positioned vertically below the zero indication on typewriter copy scale 16. This may be accomplished initially by visual alignment.

Switch 40 is then positioned so that carriage frame 15 contacts switch 40 upon movement of the carriage 14 to the left, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1. The position of base copy scale 26 is then coordinated with the typewriter copy scale 16. The position of carriage 14 along typewriter copy scale 16 is taken when carriage frame 15 initially contacts switch 40. The readings on the typewriter copy scale 16 and .the base copy scale 26 should be identical at this point. Any difference in readings between the two can be corrected by adjustment of base copy scale 26 longitudinally of base bar 24. With identical readings base copy scale 26 is properly positioned.

After positioning and adjustment of the apparatus, the desired right margin for any sheet to be typed can be set by merely moving support means 30 along base copy scale 26 until indicator 36 points to the desired right margin number for the sheet to be typed. At the end of each typed line, carriage frame 15 will then contact switch 40 at the desired right margin indication and light 52 will be illuminated in response to that contact. Carriage frame 15 will maint-ain light 52 illuminated until the carriage 14 is returned Ito the right, releasing switch 40.

Various refinements to the specific embodiment of the present invention described above can be made, for example, the contact button of `switch 40 is rounded to permit `smooth contact with carriage frame 15 regardless of direction of movement of carriage 14. Also, various modications in the adjustment and positioning means for scale 26 or support means 30 or adjustment arm 38 can be made in the light of the above description of a specific embodiment. Such refinements and modic-ations can be made while relying on the principles of the present invention for effective operation. Therefore, it is understood that the scope of the .present invention is to be determined from the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a typewriter having a movable carriage and a copy scale for designating letter spaces between left and right margin positions of the movable carriage, apparatus which is readily coordinated with the typewriter copy scale, without modification of the typewriter, to produce a visible signal at a desired right margin position for the movable carriage comprising elongated base bar means including means for Xing the position of the elongated base bar means with relation to the typewriter so that longitudinal movement along the elongated base bar means coincides with movement of the movable carriage,

a base copy scale mounted on the elongated base bar means, the base copy scale including scale markings corresponding to the typewriter copy scale markings, with the base copy scale and typewriter copy scale being aligned longitudinally upon positioning of the elongated base bar means with relation to the typewriter,

means for coordinating scale markings of the base copy scale with the typewriter copy scale,

vertically-oriented switch support means mounted on the base -bar means,

means for moving the switch support means toward and away from typewriter along the base copy scale longitudinally of the elongated base bar means to select a marking along the base copy scale corresponding to desired right margin position for the movable carriage,

indicator means attached to the switch support means for indicating the position of the .switch' support means along the base copy scale,

a switch held in tixed position by the switch support means, Without interconnection with the movable carriage, so as to be mechanically actuated by the movable carriage at the selected marking along the base scale corresponding to the desired right margin position for the removable carriage,

means for adjusting the vertical position of the switch to .contact the movable carriage upon movement of the movable carriage to the desired right margin position,

a source of electrical power, and

light means connected to the source of electric power through the switch so as to give a visible indication of desired right margin for the movable carriage upon mechanical contact of the movable carriage with the switch.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the typewriter includes support feet and the means for fixing the position of the elongated bar means with relation to the typewriter comprises socket means mounted on the elongated bar means for receiving the typewriter support feet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,695,392. 12/1928 Seidelinger 197-187 2,018,368 10/1935 Lake.

2,320,110 5/1943 Walker 197-187 2,566,971 9/1951 Watson 197-187 X 2,632,548 3/1953 Ackerman 197-187 X 2,788,881 4/1957 Palmer 197--187 2,913,096 1l/1959 Boling 197-187 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

ERNEST T. WRIGHT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A TYPEWRITER HAVING A MOVABLE CARRIAGE AND A COPY SCALE FOR DESIGNATING LETTER SPACES BETWEEN LEFT AND RIGHT MARGIN POSITIONS OF THE MOVABLE CARRIAGE, APPARATUS WHICH IS READILY COORDINATED WITH THE TYPEWRIITER COPY SCALE, WITHOUT MODIFICATION OF THE TYPEWRITER, TO PRODUCE A VISIBLE SIGNAL AT A DESIRED RIGHT MARGIN POSITION FOR THE MOVABLE CARRIAGE COMPRISING ELONGATED BASE BAR MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR FIXING THE POSITION OF THE ELONGATED BASE BAR MEANS WITH RELATION TO THE TYPEWRITER SO THAT LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT ALONG THE ELONGATED BASE BAR MEANS COINCIDES WITH MOVEMENT OF THE MOVABLE CARRIAGE, A BASE COPY SCALE MOUNTED ON THE ELONGATED BASE BAR MEANS, THE BASE COPY SCALE INCLUDING SCALE MARKINGS CORRESPONDING TO THE TYPEWRITER COPY SCALE MARKINGS, WITH THE BASE COPY SCALE AND TYPEWRITER COPY SCALE BEING ALIGNED LONGITUDINALLY UPON POSITIONING OF THE ELONGATED BASE BAR MEANS WITH RELATION TO THE TYPEWRITER, MEANS FOR COORDINATING SCALE MARKINGS OF THE BASE COPY SCALE WITH THE TYPEWRITER COPY SCALE, VERTICALLY-ORIENTED SWITCH SUPPORT MEANS MOUNTED ON THE BASE BAR MEANS, MEANS FOR MOVING THE SWITCH SUPPORT MEANS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM TYPEWRITER ALONG THE BASE COPY SCALE LONGITUDINALLY OF THE ELONGATED BASE BAR MEANS TO SELECT A MARKING ALONG THE BASE COPY SCALE CORRESPONDING TO DESIRED RIGHT MARGIN POSITION FOR THE MOVABLE CARRIAGE, INDICATOR MEANS ATTACHED TO THE SWITCH SUPPORT MEANS FOR INDICATING THE POSITION OF THE SWITCH SUPPORT MEANS ALONG THE BASE COPY SCALE, A SWITCH HELD IN FIXED POSITION BY THE SWITCH SUPPORT MEANS, WITHOUT INTERCONNECTION WITH THE MOVABLE CARRIAGE, SO AS TO BE MECHANICALLY ACTUATED BY THE MOVABLE CARRIAGE AT THE SELECTED MARKING ALONG THE BASE SCALE CORRESPONDING TO THE DESIRED RIGHT MARGIN POSITION FOR THE REMOVABLE CARRIAGE, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE VERTICAL POSITION OF THE SWITCH TO CONTACT THE MOVABLE CARRIAGE UPON MOVEMENT OF THE MOVABLE CARRIAGE TO THE DESIRED RIGHT MARGIN POSITION, A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER, AND LIGHT MEANS CONNECTED TO THE SOURCE OF ELECTRIC POWER THROUGH THE SWITCH SO AS TO GIVE A VISIBLE INDICATION OF DESIRED RIGHT MARGIN FOR THE MOVABLE CARRIAGE UPON MECHANICAL CONTACT OF THE MOVABLE CARRIAGE WITH THE SWITCH. 